Data processing card retainer

ABSTRACT

A retaining pouch or holder for a data processing card or computer information or control card which is constructed to provide peripheral protection for the card against creasing, tearing and other mutilation, a safe storage for the card which is lockable to prevent accidental loss, a means of attachment to the article particularly referred to in the information on the card and convenient access to the card for extracting the card from the holder.

United States Patent [191 Ward et 51.. 1 Apr. 17, 1973' [5 1 DATA PROCESSING CARD RETAINER 2,925,675 2/1960 Lumpkin ..4o 1o D [76] Inventors: Samuel W. Ward, 91 North Mal- 32:2 g Colm ossining NY 10566; I i g i g 2 1 Primary Examiner-Robert W1 Michell i 1 nlrc l Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J. Contreras [22] Filed: 1 Aug. 19, 1970 V Attorney-Kenneth E. Merklen [21 Appl. No.1 65,17] [57] ABSTRACT A retaining pouch or holder for a data processing card [2112] I; or computer information or Control card which is com A G structed to provide peripheral protection for the card I 1 0 can l 40 l 6 against creasing, tearing and other mutilation, a safe 7 storage for the card which is lockable to prevent ac- 56 R f d cidental loss, a means of attachment to the article parl e erences I e ticularly referred to in the information on the card and UNITED STATES PATENTS convenient access to the card for extracting the card 7 1 from the holder. l,620,874 3/1927 Craig 40/315 35,431 6/1862 Bailey ..40/17 2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PAIENTED W5 3. 727, 333

SHEET 1 [1F 2 INVENTORS SAMUEL W. R RICHARD J. D

ATTORNEY PATENTED 3.727, 333

SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTORS SAMUEL W. WARD RICHARD J. HILDSKY ATTORNEY DATAPROCESSING CARD RETAINER The present invention relates to a card retaining pouch or receptacle particularly adapted for holding, retaining, storing and protecting data processing control cards, also referred to as computer cards.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Modern industry is expanding the use of computers in manufacturing, inventory control, sales reports and sales accounting, as well as other functions interrelated with the design, manufacture, distribution, sale and inventory of retail articles. In the apparel field, for example, computers are used in the cutting room to keep a running inventory of the quantity of articles being made, all catarized with respect to size and style of article, type of material, and color and pattern of material, for example. All the characteristics of any retail article, for example, a mans suit, may be placed on a data processing card, or computer control card and that card may accompany the finished article (mans suit for example) when the suit is shipped from the manufac-' turer to the retailer.

The data processing card may be used too by the manufacturer for his shipping information and re-run information, and any other information he may require with respect to that particular article.

The same data processing card may be used by the retailer for inventory control, sales reporting, re-ordering, sales trends and other information he may require.

It becomes apparent that the data processing card must be protected and safely stored by some means.

Current procedure is to use a paper envelope, of rela- 1 tively heavy paper, "to protect the data processing card. This type of card holder offers very little protection to the card itself, is difficult to attach to the article so that both the envelope and the data processing card are subject to loss or separation from the article, and fails to provide a lockable and unlockable closure, without destroying the receptacle. Preferably the data processing card is attached to the article so that the card will follow the article through shipping without becoming separated from the article, lost, and/or mutilated. Further, the data processing card while attached to the article should be attached in an ornamental manner so that when the article is displayed for sale the data processing card does not distract from a favorable eye-appeal. In addition, easy access must be accorded to the data processing card so as not to be a laborous job for the salesman or person who retrieves the data processingcard when the article is sold.

THE PRESENT INVENTION Although the present invention is 'described with reference to its use for providing a viewable storage and protection retainer for a data processing card which retainer is attachable to an article of clothing such as a man's suit, for example, it will be appreciated that such retainer may be used to provide viewable storage and protection for data cards with attachment to a wide variety of articles.

The storage retainer is preferably made out of a clear plastic having sufficient thickness to provide protection, for which it is made. The plastic may for example be on the order of 15 to 25 thousandths of an inch thick and have good clarity for viewing the stored or retained card. It isdesired that the plastic have sufficient body,

with flexibility to accord the protection desired.

The internal dimensions of the present data card retainer preferably conform substantially to the external dimensions of the data card which is intended to be stored in the pocket of the retainer. This provides a snug storage space for the data card and further provides maximum protection. A snug storage pocket tends to prevent unintentional or accidental dislodging of the data card from its storage place. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a data card retainer which provides a viewthrough safe storage for the inserted data card and a means of conveniently attaching the data card retainer to the article referenced by the data card.

This and other objects will become apparent from reading the following discription of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the invention with full attachment flaps and attachment ports;

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of the invention with modified attachment flaps;

FIGS. 3 and 4 show in end view two different peripheral reenforced members;

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the invention with full attachment flaps and slitted attachment ports;

FIG. 6 shows, in end view another peripheral stiffener frame construction;

FIG. 7 illustrates a data card retainer attached suit coat and, I I

FIG. 8 illustrates pictorally a data card retainer with a data card partially inserted into the storage-retainer.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 8 in particular, the data card storage-retainer has a relatively stiff peripheral frame 10, the inside contour of.which substantially conforms to the peripheral contour of the data card 11. This is best seen in FIG. 8. The pocket portion or body 12 preferably is a heavy, transparent plastic so that the data card 11 may be seen through the plastic. In actual use the plastic may be clear or tinted.

As seen in FIG. 8, in particular each side'of the body 12 extends beyond the peripheral. frame 10 so as to form a pair of lips or flaps l4 and 15. The flaps include aligned ports shown as round ports 16 in FIGS. 1 and 2 and a slotted or slit port 17 in FIGS. 5 and 8. The attachment ports 16 (and 17) provide a means through which the data card storage-retainer may be secured to the article to which the data card refersas well as a' means of locking-in the data card once it is inserted into the storage-retainer. The round attachment ports,

may be used to receive a piece of string or wire or be placed over the hook 21 of the hanger 20 of FIG. 7, for example.

The port 25 in FIGS. 1, 5 and 8 is an access port by which the inserted-data card may be easily removed from the pocket of the storage retainer.

The slotted or slip port 17, shown in FIGS. 5 and 8 may best be used to receive a button 26, such as shown in FIG. 7. A suit coat 29 is shown on a hanger 20 with the data storage-retainer attached to the suit coat by passing the button 26 of the suit coat 29 through the aligned slotted or slit attachment ports 17. This locks in the data card and secures the data card storage retainer to the suit coat 29.

The thumb access ejection port 25 may be two aligned ports or may be only one port.

The data card storage-retainer shown in FIG. 2 includes modified attachment flaps 14A and the data card access port is modified and illustrated as a concave portion 28 in the body of the pocket 12.

The modified attachment flaps 14A also include attachment ports 16 which serve to lock-in the data card and a means of attaching the storage-retainer to an article.

The modified access port 28 permits grasping the inserted datacard with the fingers.

As seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, the body 12 is composed of two sides secured at the edges in such a way as to provide an open portion between the two sides. The edges may be clamped, such as shown in FIG. 3 with the clamp serving as the external stiffener frame which seals the ends of the face pieces. In this construction a filler may be used to provide the open space construction.

FIG. 4 shows a fused external stiffener frame where the face pieces are cemented or fused to the stiffener frame. FIG. 6 shows a construction where the face pieces extend beyond the stiffener frame and are peripherally cemented or fused.

Thus we have shown and described several forms of our data card storage-retainer with different types of attachment flaps and attachment ports and a choice of data card access ports. Where it is possible to attach the data card storage-retainer to an article which has a button we prefer full attachment flaps and slotted attachment ports, such as illustrated in FIGS. and 8. Where the data card storage-retainer is to be attached to an article by means of a string or wire or passed over a hook or otherwise tied we prefer to use a round attachment port with full attachment flaps.

With the preferred construction of our invention and several modifications described other constructions of the invention may be made, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is:

l. A data'card retaining pouch forming a lockable, protective storage for protectively storing a data card said second side extended along the fourth edge thereof forming an open flap,

said flap of said first side and said flap of said second side cooperatively openable forming an opening for inserting a data card into said hollow of said pocket,

a first port in each of said flaps adapted to jointly receive a member passed through each of said ports for securing said pouch and for preventing escape of a data card from said pocket, each sai flap extending across only part of said opening of said pocket for offsetting the position of said first ports with respect to said pocket,

a second port in each of said sides said second port defined as a concave section across the remainder of the opening of said pocket, normally exposing a portion of the data card stored in said pocket for providing grasping contact with said data card and I perpherial stiffening means coupled to the said three consecutive edges of said first and second sides for providing perpherial protection for the data card stored in said pocket.

2. A data card retaining pouch forming a lockable. protective storage for protectively storing a data card retained therein as in claim 1 and in which said first ports in each of said flaps are slits in button-hole configuration adapted to receive a button attached to an article for locking the pocket when the attached button is passed through both said first ports and for removably securing the data card retaining pouch to the article to which said button is attached. 

1. A data card retaining pouch forming a lockable, protective storage for protectively storing a data card retained therein including; first and second sides perpherially bound on three consecutive edges forming a pocket having an internal shape substantially conforming to the exterior shape of the data card to be stored in said pocket, said first and second sides spaced from each other at the perpherial line substantially the thickness of the data card to be stored in said pocket for forming the hollow of said pocket, said first side extended along the fourth edge thereof forming an open flap, said second side extended along the fourth edge thereof forming an open flap, said flap of said first side and said flap of said second side cooperatively openable forming an opening for inserting a data card into said hollow of said pocket, a first port in each of said flaps adapted to jointly receive a member passed through each of said ports for securing said pouch and for preventing escape of a data card from said pocket, each said flap extending across only part of said opening of said pocket for offsetting the position of said first ports with respect to said pocket, a second port in each of said sides said second port defined as a concave section across the remainder of the opening of said pocket, normally exposing a portion of the data card stored in said pocket for providing grasping contact with said data card and perpherial stiffening means coupled to the said three consecutive edges of said first and second sides for providing perpherial protection for the data card stored in said pocket.
 2. A data card retaining pouch forming a lockable, protective storage for protectively storing a data card retained therein as in claim 1 and in which said first ports in each of said flaps are slits in button-hole configuration adapted to receive a button attached to an article for locking the pocket when the attached button is passed through both said first ports and for removably securing the data card retaining pouch to the article to which said button is attached. 